4 ms·

Saffron ranges from $2 - $10 per gram for retail amounts in different parts of the world and less at wholesale. It’s expensive, but nowhere near the price of co

Saffron ranges from $2 - $10 per gram for retail amounts in different parts of the world and less at wholesale. It’s expensive, but nowhere near the price of cocaine.

poulsbohemian 3y ago
So... help me understand why it's on the order of $20-30 (or more) in my grocery store or via well-known spice merchants online?
- JohnFen 3y ago
  Just guessing that the price varies hugely depending on where in the world you're buying it. I'd expect it to be cheaper the closer you are to a saffron-producing nation. A bit like how, if you're used to how cheap avocados are on the US west coast, you can suffer from sticker shock when buying them on the east side.
  - Iulioh 3y ago
    We do produce it in Italy but still costs like 5-6.000€/kg and sold in less than 1gr packets Edit: Seems like the top producer, Iran, does make 160.000 kg/year. From the list I found online the sum of the next 9 countries is less than 20.000kg
  - dylan604 3y ago
    Or gasoline being cheaper closer to the refineries so California is farked on cheap gas
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- Eager 3y ago
  The grocery store relies on the mystique of the thing. The people making those expensive jars probably also seed articles online about it being extremely expensive. Then when the average person goes to the store they look at it and aren't shocked by the ridiculous price because somewhere at the back of their mind they will have read it is worth more than gold. lol. Meanwhile, anyone in the know is buying it by the wheel for quite reasonable amounts, and likely better purity.
azza2110 3y ago
Saffron is 94 USD per gram at major Australian grocery stores. When I went earlier today, this locally-grown product was the only saffron available. https://i.imgur.com/q8z9MBF.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/q8z9MBF.jpeg
epolanski 3y ago
I have never, ever seen saffron below 5 euros per gram in Europe. Ever. ISO 1 Saffron is no less than 10 euros per gram. If it's less it's not pure and it contains other parts of the flower or worse it has been cut with something. And that's for basic iranian saffron. Quality italian/spanish one (strong in crocin content) is at least 30 euros per gram.
- cess11 3y ago
  Rather expensive 1 gram packets in regular grocery stores in Sweden go for 2.5-5 grams per 10 euros. At 'oriental' stores you can find good saffron in larger packages at lower price per weight.
  - epolanski 3y ago
    Then it's not pure saffron. It just can't be. Quality 1 saffron at ICA (largest swedish supermarket chain) is 24 euros per gram. Anything below ISO 1/Quality 1 is cut or low quality.
    - cess11 3y ago
      Ica doesn't sell good quality saffron as far as I know. I got ten 0.5 gram satchels for 100 SEK before 'jul' last year, small paper packets with their own branding placed at the checkout. Probably more expensive in the 'big' cities.
araes 3y ago
That is almost exactly the wholesale price of cocaine. $2000-10000 / kg. https://www.drugpolicyfacts.org/node/327 https://www.drugpolicyfacts.org/node/327
- IAmGraydon 3y ago
  Yes but we’re talking about retail prices.

Saffron ranges from $2 - $10 per gram for retail amounts in different parts of the world and less at wholesale. It’s expensive, but nowhere near the price of cocaine.

poulsbohemian 3y ago

So... help me understand why it's on the order of $20-30 (or more) in my grocery store or via well-known spice merchants online?

JohnFen 3y ago
Just guessing that the price varies hugely depending on where in the world you're buying it. I'd expect it to be cheaper the closer you are to a saffron-producing nation. A bit like how, if you're used to how cheap avocados are on the US west coast, you can suffer from sticker shock when buying them on the east side.
- Iulioh 3y ago
  We do produce it in Italy but still costs like 5-6.000€/kg and sold in less than 1gr packets Edit: Seems like the top producer, Iran, does make 160.000 kg/year. From the list I found online the sum of the next 9 countries is less than 20.000kg
- dylan604 3y ago
  Or gasoline being cheaper closer to the refineries so California is farked on cheap gas
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
Eager 3y ago
The grocery store relies on the mystique of the thing. The people making those expensive jars probably also seed articles online about it being extremely expensive. Then when the average person goes to the store they look at it and aren't shocked by the ridiculous price because somewhere at the back of their mind they will have read it is worth more than gold. lol. Meanwhile, anyone in the know is buying it by the wheel for quite reasonable amounts, and likely better purity.

azza2110 3y ago

Saffron is 94 USD per gram at major Australian grocery stores. When I went earlier today, this locally-grown product was the only saffron available. https://i.imgur.com/q8z9MBF.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/q8z9MBF.jpeg

epolanski 3y ago

I have never, ever seen saffron below 5 euros per gram in Europe. Ever. ISO 1 Saffron is no less than 10 euros per gram. If it's less it's not pure and it contains other parts of the flower or worse it has been cut with something. And that's for basic iranian saffron. Quality italian/spanish one (strong in crocin content) is at least 30 euros per gram.

cess11 3y ago
Rather expensive 1 gram packets in regular grocery stores in Sweden go for 2.5-5 grams per 10 euros. At 'oriental' stores you can find good saffron in larger packages at lower price per weight.
- epolanski 3y ago
  Then it's not pure saffron. It just can't be. Quality 1 saffron at ICA (largest swedish supermarket chain) is 24 euros per gram. Anything below ISO 1/Quality 1 is cut or low quality.
  - cess11 3y ago
    Ica doesn't sell good quality saffron as far as I know. I got ten 0.5 gram satchels for 100 SEK before 'jul' last year, small paper packets with their own branding placed at the checkout. Probably more expensive in the 'big' cities.

araes 3y ago

That is almost exactly the wholesale price of cocaine. $2000-10000 / kg. https://www.drugpolicyfacts.org/node/327 https://www.drugpolicyfacts.org/node/327

IAmGraydon 3y ago
Yes but we’re talking about retail prices.